In groomed world of bonsai, success lies in thinking small

Good things really do come in small packages.

Think of an unexpected check inside a birthday envelope or a certain sparkly something in a little velvet box.

For lovers of bonsai, a traditional Japanese art form, a painstakingly trained tiny tree in a just-right pot epitomizes the small-package adage.

“It’s art; it is so visually appealing,” said Liz Coverdale, a horticulturist at the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens.

“They’re complete miniature landscapes. They’re supposed to look really old and weathered and ancient.”

The conservatory is displaying its collection of venerable bonsai trees in a summerlong show. Visitors are welcome to observe, learn and simply marvel.

“They’re always on display, but this is their time to shine,” Coverdale said.

One of the highlights is a member of a species called buttonwood.

“That tree is listed as over 365 years old — that’s our oldest tree in the collection,” she said. “It’s native to the mangroves of Florida.”

Another specimen that she described as not to be missed: a beech that was originally collected in the wilds of West Virginia.

“It’s really impressive,” she added.

If you’re inspired to try some training, pruning and shaping of your own, the conservatory’s gift shop, Botanica, carries a range of plants and supplies.

For beginners, Coverdale suggests juniper and boxwood, which grow outside year-round; and schefflera and ficus, which like being outdoors in warm weather but must spend Ohio winters inside.

The shop offers young plants called “pre-bonsai,” which average $7.50 to $12, “for people who want a hands-on experience or a modest investment,” said Jackie Peters, a plant buyer for Botanica.

For gardeners with a larger budget or an urge for immediate gratification, Botanica also sells more mature plants, ranging from $29 to $180; to coincide with the show, a couple of special trees are available ($450 to $550).

Botanica also sells how-to books, pruning and shaping tools, and fertilizer.

For that time when the object of your obsession outgrows its home, “We offer a bonsai repotting service,” which entails scraping dirt off roots and trimming them, Peters said.

“They’re not dwarf trees,” Coverdale emphasized, referring to species that naturally stay small.

“They’ve been dwarfed” — by the human hand or, depending on a tree’s age, by many generations of hands.

Diana Lockwood is a freelance writer covering gardening topics.

cdecker@dispatch.com

Bonsai events

The summer bonsai show continues through Sept.?21. Members of the Columbus Bonsai Society are available to answer questions from 1 to

4 p.m. Saturdays.

The bonsai society’s annual show and sale, concluding today at the conservatory, features dozens of trees on display as well as trees and supplies for sale.

To learn more about the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, 1777 E. Broad St., call 614-715-8000 or visit www.fpconservatory.org.